Online ads are something everyone hates. They can be a privacy threat, slow down web browsers and cause annoyance. While ad blocking extensions may be helpful, what about VPN ad-blockers? They can get rid of your ads. A VPN can be very convenient as it protects your data, and allows you to unblock content. It would be great if it could get rid of ads.
To test the effectiveness of top VPNs that have ad blocking features, we went ahead and tested them. A few FAQs were also answered at the end.
Are you short on time?
Here are the top VPN ad blocking programs:
- NordVPN-best VPN without ad blocking out there.
- Surfshark —good ad blocking for unlimited devices
- Private Internet Access-reliable Ad Blocker and Huge Server Network.
- Windscribe is acustomizable, easy-to-use ad blocking tool.
- Privacy –VPN Ad blocker for advanced users.
How to Choose a VPN that Blocks Ads
These are the metrics that we used to rank VPN ad blocking software in this article.
- Block most ads VPN ad blocking software can’t block all ads but it will block most of them.
- Block malicious websites A VPN ad-blocker should block connections to malicious or unsecure sites in order to protect you against malware and phishing.
- Works on all platforms The feature should work across all major platforms, including Windows, macOS Linux, iOS and Android. It is not enough to block ads on only one or two platforms.
- are easy to use. A simple on/off switch suffices. To use the ad blocking software, you don’t have to follow detailed tutorials.
- It doesn’t have to cost more – all plans should include a VPN ad blocking feature.
How we tested the VPN Ad Blockers
Multiple tests were conducted to determine how effective the VPN ad blocking features are. These online tools were used:
- Ad Blocker Test
- AdBlock Tester
- Is it possible to block it?
- Ads-blocker.com
We also tested the VPN ads blockers manually against:
- YouTube advertisements
- Ads on media sites
- Malicious sites
This was done by visiting multiple ads-heavy social media websites and media outlets. We also watched multiple YouTube videos that featured ads. We also tried to access unsafe HTTP sites.
Top VPNs that Block Ads
We tested top VPNs that block advertisements – these were our top 5 choices. To show how each VPN performed, we used the points-based ranking system provided by the GitHub Ad Blocker Test Tool.
1. NordVPN – The Best VPN Ad Blocker Available
NordVPN has excellent ad blocking. We didn’t see ads on pages with a lot of ads – pop-ups or banners. NordVPN blocks YouTube ads – both at the beginning and the end of videos. CyberSec was unable to block overlay ads on YouTube. We saw them more often than half the time. CyberSec was also able to block our links to malicious HTTP websites.
NordVPN’s Ad Blocker is easy to use. You just need to enable or disable it in the settings. CyberSec works on Windows, macOS and Linux as well as Android, iOS, Android, Chrome and Firefox. CyberSec can only block malicious sites on Android if NordVPN’s application is downloaded from the Google Play Store. To get ad blocking for Android, you will need to download the APK version from NordVPN.
All NordVPN plans include CyberSec. Long-term subscriptions are cheaper and offer CyberSec for a low price. All plans come with a 30-day money back guarantee. You can contact the support team via live chat 24/7 if you have any questions.
NordVPN offers a great ad blocking feature. You also get excellent security with bank-grade encryption and secure protocols. NordVPN has a twice-audited policy that prohibits logs, RAM-only servers and split-tunneling. Other benefits include a large server network and very fast speeds. Also, excellent streaming and P2P support.
- 5200+ Global Servers in 59+ Countries
- CyberSec malware protection and ad blocking
- Next-generation encryption using double VPN servers
- VPN traffic is obscured by obfuscation technology
- Strict no-logs policy
- Uses Netflix for streaming
- Lightning fast with P2P Support
- 30-day money-back guarantee
2. Surfshark – Block Ads on Unlimited Devices
Surfshark’s Ad Blocker, CleanWeb , is extremely reliable and scored well in all ad tracking testing. CleanWeb was able to block ads from media outlets, so sites such as Forbes and WhatCulture loaded much faster than they did before. Surfshark was able to block malicious websites, but not YouTube ads.
CleanWeb can be used on any platform: Windows, macOS Linux, Linux, iOS and Android. It also works with Chrome, Fire TV, Android TV and Fire TV.
Surfshark offers a free ad blocking service on all plans. Long-term subscriptions are recommended as they’re extremely affordable and come with a 30-day money back guarantee. You can also upgrade for very little to get features that will protect your identity and help you search online safely. Surfshark offers live chat support 24 hours a day.
A VPN ad blocking service is available. You also get strong encryption, protocols, no-logs policies, and a kill switch. Surfshark offers split-tunneling and obfuscation as well as RAM-only servers. It boasts a large server network and great P2P support.
- More than 3200+ global servers located in 60+ countries
- CleanWeb Ad-Blocking feature
- OpenVPN offers strong encryption and security
- Whitelister, Multihop VPN and Kill Switch
- No-logs policy
- Uses Netflix for streaming
- Amazing speeds
- 30-day money-back guarantee
3. Private Internet Access – Secure Ad blocking across a Huge Server Network
Private Internet Access’s ad blocking feature, PIA MACE, scored well in our tests. It also had problems with pop-up ads from Can You Block It! We did not see any pop-up ads from media sites. PIA MACE also successfully blocked pop-up ads and blocked connections to malicious websites. However, it did label some secure sites as unsecure. This problem was not common. PIA MACE was unable to block YouTube ads – both pre-ads and mid-ads.
PiA MACE is simple to use, and it works on Windows, macOS and Linux. You’ll also need the APK app for Android.
All plans include PIA MACE, which is a free service. We love how affordable PIA’s prices. You get a 30-day money back guarantee on all purchases, as well as 24/7 chat support.
PIA offers the most extensive server network (30,000+), high speeds, excellent streaming and P2P support, as well as the fastest internet connections. You also get standard security features such as a kill switch and strong encryption. Multiple court cases have proven that the no-logs policy of PIA is true. All its apps are open-sourced by PIA. You also get split-tunneling and obfuscation.
- Block trackers and ads
- You can use it with up to 10 devices simultaneously
- Unlimited Bandwidth
- 3200+ Servers in 29 countries
- No Request or Traffic logs
- 7-day money-back guarantee
4. Windscribe – A highly customizable VPN Ad Blocker and Free Plan
R.O.B.E.R.T. Windscribe’s R.O.B.E.R.T. Windscribe kept us safe against malicious websites, but it did not block YouTube ads.
R.O.B.E.R.T. It is simple to use but you can’t activate/disable the VPN app. You do this in your account’s dashboard. This VPN ad blocking software is extremely customizable. It can block:
- Trackers and social media networks
- Pornographic content
- Fake news and clickbait
- Gambling sites
- Trackers and ads from other VPNs
- Cryptominers.
You can also configure R.O.B.E.R.T. You can blacklist or whitelist certain website domains and IPs. Windscribe’s ad blocking feature works with all apps, except browser extensions.
Widnscribe offers both a free and paid plan. R.O.B.E.R.T. is available. The free plan is available on all devices but does not block ads or malware. You will need to upgrade to the paid plan to get full functionality. Windsribe’s plans are affordable and you can even create your own plan. Windscribe offers only a 3-day money back guarantee, which is not the case with most VPNs. Support is only available via email.
Windscribe offers great security. Windscribe includes a kill switch, strong encryption protocols and protocols, as well as a no-logs policy. You also get split-tunneling and obfuscation. Windscribe offers limited protection against browser fingerprinting. It offers good P2P support, and unblocks Netflix US.
5. Excellent VPN Ad Blocker for Advanced Users – Perfect Privacy
TrackStop was Perfect Privacy’s ad-blocker that performed well in our tests. It stopped ad trackers from loading ads on websites and blocked traffic to unsecure sites. However, it was unable to block YouTube ads.
TrackStop is easy to use, but you will need to configure it in the dashboard of your account. You can customize it in multiple ways. The feature is not only capable of blocking ads but also can block:
- Fake news sites.
- Sites that are not appropriate for children.
- All Facebook domains
- All social media sites
Perfect Privacy’s ad-blocker can block all Google domains, including YouTube, Google Search, Gmail and others. We don’t see any reason why you would want to use this option.
All Perfect Privacy Plans include TrackStop, but they are not cheap. Perfect Privacy offers a seven-day money back guarantee and email support.
Perfect Privacy has many security features. Perfect Privacy has no logs policy, powerful encryption, secure protocols, and an easily customizable kill switch. This VPN is best suited to advanced users, as the interface is not very user-friendly. Perfect Privacy allows you to set up advanced security settings, such as a multi-chain connection that can have up to four hops. It doesn’t support streaming sites but does provide great P2P support.
- TrackStop feature
- Media tracking and blocking ads
- Stealth VPN technology
- Policy no-logs and RAM-disk servers
- Available in 26 countries
- Speeds up to 10000Mbps
- 7-day money-back guarantee
VPN Ad Blockers – Test Score Overview
| Ad Blocker Test Score | Blocks Media Outlets Ads | Blocks YouTube Ads | Blocks Malicious Sites | |
| NordVPN | 95% | Yes | Yes (But Not Overlay Ads) | Yes |
| Surfshark | 95% | Yes | No | Yes |
| PIA | 82% | Yes | No | Yes |
| Windscribe | 79% | Yes | No | Yes |
| Perfect Privacy | 79% | Yes | No | Yes |
CyberGhost VPN’s Ad Blocker is it good?
CyberGhost’s ads blocker is not very reliable. It did well in online tests. CyberGhost VPN did not block all ads. It can’t block YouTube ads. CyberGhost’s ad blocking software doesn’t block malicious websites. It will only alert you if you visit one.
We recommend that you use NordVPNinstead. CyberSec is a great feature that blocks most malicious websites and ads. NordVPN is the only VPN that blocks YouTube ads. However, it can’t remove the overlay ads.
Is it enough to use a VPN Adblocker?
While most VPN ad blocking tools are effective, you might still see ads on YouTube. VPN providers don’t specialize in ad blocking. Instead, they focus on unblocking content as well as encrypting user traffic. Their ad blocking tools are not 100% effective, so it’s understandable.
We recommend using uBlock Origin in conjunction with the VPN ad blocking program to get rid of ads forever. uBlock Origin is an free ad- and script-blocker. It scored 100% and we never saw YouTube ads, pre, mid, post or overlay. uBlock Origin can also prevent WebRTC leaks, which is another reason to use it. These leaks are not protected by many VPNs.
uMatrix is another option that can make you safer. This open-source script blocker protects you against malicious scripts and other unsecure websites. uMatrix can make it difficult to use certain website features.
uMatrix, uBlock Origin and uMatrix are both free to use. You can also get extensions for most browsers.
Can VPN Ad Blockers Protect You Against Browser Fingerprinting?
No, VPN ad blockers can’t prevent browser fingerprinting. They cannot block trackers, malicious websites, or ads. VPNs don’t protect against browser fingerprinting, as they hide your IP. Browser fingerprinting collects additional data such as device type, OS and screen size.
Windscribe is the only VPN to offer protection against browser fingerprinting. Split-Personality will make your user agent stand out more. It also features timezone-spoofing. This prevents sites from using browser fingerprinting to determine which timezone you are in. That’s all.
Tor can be used to reduce the effectiveness of browser fingerprinting. Tor is a privacy tool that hides your IP address and encrypts traffic. The same browser fingerprint is shared by all Tor users. Tor must be used over a VPN connection to avoid IP leaks. Keep in mind that Tor connections can cause slow speeds – 80-90% slower than VPN connections. All VPNs in this article allow Tor traffic to their servers.
You can also do other things to stop browser fingerprinting. A virtual machine can be used to protect your browser fingerprinting. It will use a different browser for each online activity. The best way to avoid browser fingerprinting is not to use the Internet.
The bottom line is that it’s best to not worry too much about this. It’s good as long as it blocks ads and blocks malicious websites. It’s important that it improves your online experience, speed up browser performance, and keeps you safe.
FAQ
These are the most common questions about VPNs that include ads blocking, ad blockers and other similar features. Please leave a comment if you have any additional questions.
Can VPNs Block Ads?
Yes, VPNs have ad blocking capabilities that can block ads. You can enable ad blocking via settings within the app or dashboard. VPN ad blocking can also be used to block malicious websites.
Not all VPNs have ad blocking features that work well. Our tests revealed that NordVPN is the most effective ad-blocker. It blocks annoying ads from websites, YouTube ads, as well as unsecure sites. Surfshark, PIA and other ad-blocking tools offer excellent features.
Can a VPN block pop-up ads?
Yes, VPN ads blockers can block pop up ads. We never saw popup ads on media sites when we tested these VPNs. On the Can You Block It? website, we saw pop-up ads that included PIA. However, none of these pop-up ads were seen on any other websites.
Does ExpressVPN have an Ad Blocker?
ExpressVPN does not have an ad-blocker. ExpressVPN is a top VPN that offers great security, speed, streaming and excellent streaming. However, it can’t block malicious websites and ads.
NordVPN is a VPN that blocks ads and works as well as ExpressVPN. NordVPN is just as fast, secure, and simple to use as ExpressVPN. It also includes an ad-blocker that blocks advertisements on websites, YouTube, and other malware-infected sites.
IPVanish offers ad blocking?
IPVanish does not have an ad blocking feature. Surfshark is a better choice. It is more secure and cheaper than IPVanish and allows unlimited simultaneous connections, just like IPVanish.
Can a VPN block YouTube ads?
Many VPN ad blocking software can’t block YouTube ads. Only NordVPN was able to block YouTube ads in our tests. However, it did not block all ads – we still saw overlay advertisements.
We recommend using uBlock origin with the VPN ad blocking tool to get rid of YouTube ads. This combo was tested on 20+ ads-heavy YouTube videos and we never saw any YouTube ads.
What is an Ad-Block VPN?
VPNs often use their DNS servers to redirect or block DNS requests to advertisers’ servers. Once DNS requests are blocked or redirected, your browser will not show ads.
A VPN can also block ads by redirecting ad trackers towards invalid IPs to prevent them from being resolved. Redirecting to “localhost” (or 0.0.0.0) will display a message stating that the website cannot be reached.
VPNs also block tracking cookies and malicious websites. VPNs are used to blacklist advertiser and malicious IPs. Providers pay for blocklists to ensure they have the most up-to-date information.
How do Ads Track You?
Tracking pixels, browser fingerprinting and URL trackers are all used by ads to track you. They track your preferences and behavior to show you personalized ads.
VPN ad blocking tools can help you avoid most tracking methods but they won’t stop browser fingerprinting. They can’t block ads 100%. uBlock Origin or uMatrix can be used to get rid of all ad tracking methods, except browser fingerprinting.
